Climate Change

Kibworth Town  8  Desford Development  0

Leicestershire Senior League – Division Two

“I never wanted to kill, I’m not naturally evil…..”

Not my words, the words of Morrissey, but right now it perhaps sums up how myself and many other football fans feel about the current weather situation and the impact it’s having on the ability to get games on.

Can anyone of a meteorological background please explain to me, does the weather have an understanding of the days of the week? The reason I ask is because it seems to know when it’s the weekend. It’s fine from Sunday through to around Friday tea time, and then it smashes it down all the way through to Saturday night, and right now, it’s like clockwork, every week.

If the weather were a living form, it would be a cockwomble, Jon Pigeon would shat on it, it would get the blame for the Brexit fiasco, it would have a contract out against it, and I would sign it, like I said, I’m not naturally evil………..

So, usual Saturday morning bollocks aside, I was left with a couple of local choices, those being at South Elmsall and Kibworth, and if they went by the wayside I was going to be M25 bound searching out the Isthmian League’s finest artificial surfaces in the vicinity of Heathrow Airport. A large part of me was praying to the God I don’t believe in, for a miracle.

I had a plan, bearing in mind South Elmsall called their game off when the pitch was re-assigned for a jet-ski competition, and that was to run with the initial good vibes I was getting from the Secretary of Kibworth Town. I sent him a text (James that is) and he told me that the manager had been up to the pitch and declared it playable.

I was a touch nervous about the difference between early inspections and referees turning up and playing the dick, plus I was also mindful of any forthcoming rain, so I decided to go down to Leicester Forest East Services, which is just fifteen minutes from Kibworth, and check again. If it was then called off, I was within a couple of changes of clothes from West London.

The good vibes from Kibworth were still good once at the services, so I decided to go for it, Kibworth Town, the last remaining ground of the plethora of newbies that were admitted at the start of the season. It was to be a champagne job, I could kiss goodbye to Everards Ales and Walkers Crisps until next season at least. That said, it’s been good fun, some really good clubs have come in and some nice set ups. Mass brawl at Newbold Verdon aside, it’s been like clockwork. Well done Rob and all of the guys at the LSL, credit where its due.

Kibworth is located South of Leicester, on the main A6 that goes from the ring road at the Racecourse, through Oadby, and down to Market Harborough. The ground is on the very edges of the village and unless you know precisely where it is, you’ve got no chance of finding it as it sits a good distance away from the road, and is shielded by hedgerows. It’s called Birds Barn and it’s on the road that leads to Fleckney, another newbie to the league, and I suspect when they play each other all Police leave is cancelled.

First port of call was the ground, and yes I did miss the entrance, but once I’d travelled along the track and found it, I was pleased to find two sets of players and a referee in place. All was good in the World, I had a chat with the Kibworth Manager, I had two important questions. Is the game definitely on, and where is the nearest pub.

Yes, and the Coach & Horses was the reply.

Kibworth is a very pleasant village, made up of two parts, Kibworth Beauchamp and Kibworth Harcourt, with the dividing line seemingly the railway line that runs through the middle. It’s also a busy place, but the car park at the boozer had spaces, I was a mostly very happy man.

With pint and peanuts in hand, I thought it prudent to have a look at the history and the fortunes of Kibworth Town. Currently, they play in Division Two and sat in fourth place before the game. Northfield Emerald are going to win it, they have won ten from ten and have a +62 goal difference, but a promotion place is definitely in the equation for them.

Last season they competed in the Leicester & District League, finishing mid-table, but their application to the LSL was duly accepted.

The ground at Birds Barn is a vast place. The car park is sizable, with the clubroom and dressing rooms located next to it. In front are a vast array of small sized pitches, with the railed off main pitch sat on something of a plateau at the far end of the complex. The pitch was in very good condition considering the recent weather, the manager was clearly spot on in his assessment!

The game was largely one sided, bar a spell of about fifteen minutes at the end of the first half when visiting Desford Development could have capitalised on their possession and breached the host’s defences. Otherwise, it was something of a procession.

It was 3-0 at half time thanks to goals from Ollie Watson, Aiden Smith and a penalty from Ollie Magee. It was the third goal that visibly killed Desford, as it came at the end of their best spell of the game.

After half time it was completely one way, Smith got his second and Kibworth’s fourth while Watson also got his second and the hosts fifth goal. Substitute Alex Hobart scored a fine sixth goal, while Tom Barton volleyed home a seventh. The eighth goal was the crispest finish for me when Ollie Biddle smashed the ball home from twenty five yards, giving the valiant Desford goalkeeper no chance.

Six wins out of six from Kibworth as they march on. The fact they have such a well draining surface at Birds Barn will probably help them because if this weather continues they will play more often than they get called off.

I’ve not even bothered looking at the weather forecast for next Saturday, because it’s already decided what it’s going to do. Climate change and Greta Thunberg, my arse……….